Cobia – U.S.

Cobia is a large pelagic fish, growing up to 2 m (6.5 ft) in length, and found in tropical and warm-temperate waters worldwide, except for the eastern Pacific. They grow quickly, become sexually mature at 1-3 years of age, and may live for 16 years.

Cobia are not targeted directly by commercial fishermen, instead are caught incidentally in other fisheries. In the US, most Cobia are caught with hook and line, a fishing method that causes minimal habitat damage and likely results in a moderate level of bycatch.

The abundance of Cobia in the US is currently unknown. There are several management measures in place for Cobia, including a minimum size limit and catch limits.

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Fish Key:

Species has a combination of problems such as overfishing, high bycatch, and poor management.

Some problems exist with this species' status or catch methods, or information is insufficient for evaluating.

Species is relatively abundant, and fishing methods cause little damage to habitat and other wildlife.

A fishery targeting this species has been certified as sustainable and well managed to the Marine Stewardship Council's environmental standard. Learn more at http://www.msc.org.

These fish contain levels of mercury or PCBs that may pose a health risk to adults and children. Our source of information is http://seafood.edf.org/. We also recommend that you check local advisories.